Why Sh*t Happens: The Science of a Really Bad Day

by Peter J. Bentley

Have you ever fallen victim to Murphy's law? Sometimes bad things just happen. In Why Sh*t Happens , esteemed British scientist Peter J. Bentley takes readers on an informative and amusing tour through the least lucky, most accident-prone day of their lives. From sleeping through the alarm clock and burning breakfast to getting caught in the rain and navigating a slippery road, Bentley brilliantly explores disaster and mishap on a molecular level. In the process, he explains the science behind each accident, arming readers with the knowledge to understand what went wrong and how they can steer clear of future harm.
Science is respected, trusted, and according to Bentley, largely misunderstood. Why Sh*t Happens urges readers to arm themselves with the power of science in order to better understand the world around them. When a car engine is damaged by the wrong gasoline or a computer is attacked by a virus, science is not to blame, but rather can provide an explanation of what happened.
In a text that exudes charm and wit, Bentley reveals the causes behind a wide spectrum of mishaps, including why that razor nick won't stop bleeding, why metal sparks in the microwave, what makes chewing gum stick in hair, and why milk tastes sour when it goes bad.
Sh*t will always happen, but now readers will know exactly why. Enter, if you dare, the world of everyday disasters.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Humor, Psychology, Audiobook, Education

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2009

About the author

Dr Peter Bentley is an Honorary Reader and Senior College Teacher at the Department of Computer Science, University College London and is known for his research covering all aspects of Evolutionary Computation and Digital Biology. He is the author of the popular science books Digital Biology, The Undercover Scientist and Digitized, and editor of the books Evolutionary Design by Computers, Creative Evolutionary Systems and On Growth, Form and Computers.

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually hate Ben Stiller comedies. Humor with the premise of terrible accidents occurring usually only arouses my empathy, but this book is genuinely funny. Perhaps because the bad day anecdotes are all well written in the second person, I imagine myself in the position and therefore am granted the distance of having imagined. However, I doubt it. The point of this book lies in scientific explanations for each of the unfortunate occurrences, which morphs them from wacky bad luck to perfectly logical--if generally avoidable--happenings.

The prose is witty, the scientific explanations complete and concise, and the material well chosen. As an example, the chapter that begins with you getting gum in your hair explains the history of gum sociologically, the chemical composition of gum, the biology of hair growth, and the very practical chemistry of getting gum out of your hair without having to cut it. There are thirty-nine chapters and each as funny, intriguing, and informative as the others.

This book is like having a terrible day with a really nerdy best friend. In other words: awesome.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a great book if you are just looking for a fun book that gives you some facts about some common mishaps. It has some interesting facts in it, but it does not delve very deep on the concepts it introduces. If you are really into science it is probably not the book you want.
It is a relatively interesting non-fiction book though and if non-fiction is not a genre you delve into frequently it may be a book to pick up.

[Mazola1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why Sh*t Happens explains how a series of mundane mishaps happens. Bentley explains the physics, chemistry and biology behind life's everyday accidents, from stubbing a toe to putting diesel fuel in a gasoline powered car. The explanations aren't too detailed -- it's basic science for the scientifically curious lay reader. But the writing is lucid and the topics interesting.

Curiously, this book also made me ponder the limits of science. Bentley explains many of the wonders of modern science, such as how CDs and computers work, as well as the wonders of the human body, i.e., a bit of the basic biology of teeth, bones and skin. But he really explains how shit happens, not why shit happens. For instance, he explains why we slip on soap in terms of what makes soap slippery, or why milk turns sour in terms of chemical changes in it caused by bacteria.

But there are many other answers to the question of why milk turns sour, or why many other accidents or bad things happen. It turns sour because someone leaves it out on the counter instead of putting it back in the refrigerator. It turns sour because someone depressed by personal problems forgets it's on the counter or doesn't care if it goes bad. I thought when I read the title of this book that it was a scientific look at what makes things go wrong in terms of human psychology, behavior or decision making. But the human element is noticeably absent from the book, despite the fact that it's structured around a series of mishaps that cause an imaginary person to have the queen mother of bad days. Although the currently science attributes depression, confusion, forgetfulness, carelessness (all mental states that can certainly contribute to accidents) to chemical changes in our brains. So maybe shit does happen for the same basic reason that milk spoils.

I guess the take home message for me was that it takes a philosopher to tackle the question of why shit happens, as opposed to how shit happens. Of course, that may be a question without an answer. In the meantime, this book was diverting.

[Mont'ster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you looking for a good book that you can read over many short sessions (think lunch break), that contains useful information (I've learned several interesting things and I'm not even half through it), and the information is presented humorously? This is that kind of book - more than once I've laughed while reading it, had someone ask me "What's so funny?" and I have to answer "I could tell you but you might not want to hear it while you're eating lunch." (entertaining but sometimes slightly gross)

[Sarah Quilt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moving this to DNF at page 99. I thought to read these little blurbs before bed, but I find myself going for my phone and not this book. It's not bad, but it's not compelling enough to draw me in and make me want to read it either. It does present science in a relatable way, but couldn't hold my interest.

[Maria Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funniest science book you'll ever read. Your bad hair day gets scientifically analyzed; but in simple, easy to understand language.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not terrible, but the subject did not hold together overall. In general I already knew or simply was uninterested in many of the science topics covered.

[William Cameau · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Why Sh*t happens the Science of a Really Bad Day” by Peter J. Bently, PhD. This book is a non-fiction book explaining why bad things happen, what makes them happen, and the science behind it all. In each chapter it gives an example of something bad that could happen during your day and then spends 3-7 pages explaining it. The theme of this book is why, and how bad things happen.
I gave this book a 3 star rating. I gave it a three star because it was pretty funny, it was very interesting, and it wasn’t too long and drawn out so you don’t get bored of it easily. To be honest, this is definitely in my top ten books to read. The format of the book takes a little getting used to though. It’s weird because each chapter it talks about something new. So if you’re one of the people that like a story, or chronological order then this probably isn’t the book for you. I think the only hard part about this book is the vocabulary. The author has at least one PhD and uses very hard vocabulary words, but once you search up the word it’s a lot easier to understand. I’m not a fan of non-fiction so a three star rating from me is very good.

[Zeeke Cameau · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book I chose to read was, “Why Sh*t happens the Science of a Really Bad Day” by Peter J. Bently, Ph.D. It’s a non-fiction book explaining why bad things happen, what makes them happen, and the science behind it all. In each chapter, it gives an example of something bad that could happen during your day and then spends 3-7 pages explaining it. The theme of this book is why, and how bad things happen. For example, it talks about the ingredients in shampoo that would make someone slip or why we slide when we step on a banana peel. I gave this book a 4 out of five. I gave it this score because it was pretty funny, it was very interesting, and it wasn’t too long and drawn out so you don’t get bored of it easily. To be honest, this wouldn’t make my top ten, but it’s still a very good read. The format of the book takes a little getting used to though. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone, it's just a lot of random information that's interesting to have, you can't go wrong with it.

[Todd Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why Sh*t Happens by British author and computer scientist Peter J. Bentley, is an odd little popular science book. Each chapter describes a different incident in someone's "really bad day" (they sleep through their alarm, drink spoiled milk, spill wine on the carpet, get gum stuck in their hair, their pen leaks, they fill their gasoline fueled car with diesel, etc.). The author then uses this as a jumping off point to explain a bit of science underlying each incident.

The book is written in a light and lively style and is kind of fun, but it's totally random. Beyond the "bad day" theme, there's no unifying principle behind the topics discussed. It could just have easily have been called "The Science of Every Day Events", but I suspect book promoters have discovered that books with four letter words in their title (rendered safe for sensitive readers by a strategically placed asterisk) increased sales by 23%.

[John Biddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine you're having the worst day, with one awful thing after another (not major things like death or firing, just very irritating things that continue to happen to you one after the other through the whole day. As this happens to the poor imaginary sot in the book, the narrator takes us on a side trip to explain the science behind what happened, why it happened and what could be done about it.

It's a clever way to introduce us to a lot of interesting science, well told and quite interesting. I was listening to the audiobook and my 11 year old great grandson heard part of it when my car sound system grabbed the Bluetooth feed. He liked it enough to want to listen all the way to his football game and listen to the whole thing later. Pretty good endorsement if you ask me.

[Meg Perin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a light hearted and quick read that takes readers through the science of "a really bad day" from slipping on shampoo to bird pooping on your coat. It gives a quick science lesson of biology, chemistry, physics, environmenal factors, as well as the historical perspective and facts pertaining to the "bad day" event. I really enjoyed this book and passed it along to my teens, who found it amusing, insightful, and admittedly, educational as well.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm joining the ranks of the DNF club for this one, like so many others. The idea of the book is good and the premise set is funny, but Bentley's writing is too dry to make it fun. I think if I listened to it I could have finished it, but reading it felt like a slog. There are very interesting parts and I loved learning about the different scientific explanations for mundane things, but it felt like reading a textbook and for supposedly being an entertaining book, it fell flat.

[YHC · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very fun and interesting book about pure scientific facts. Mostly i know already thanks to other books, but it explained in details about why and how this happens.
Very good book even for younger kids if parents can read for them.

[Luciano Elementi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is enjoyable and witty read, allthewhile educational

[Alberto Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book about the science behind every day stuff. Outside of the title, it may be a great book to help awaken teenager curiosity for science.

[Allisonperkel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr Bentley has crafted a light hearted, easy to read book that takes you through one of the worst days imaginable and then teaches you exactly what the science behind the event is. He details 39 bad events with great humor, which quickly draws you into the idea, and then he follows with a 5 to 10 page discourse on the science behind the event.

Our protagonist, a business man who should have really never left the bed in the morning, Goes through a sequence of events; none of them particularly horrid, but all very annoying. Each event, whether its a bee sting or eating dirt and glass, is used as a launching point for a discussion on such topics as to why the bee stings, how the teeth work, how the digestive system protects you and so on.

There are 39 chapters in the book, each contains a mini lesson. In general, the lessons are:

1) sleeping through the alarm
2) slipping on soap
3) cutting yourself shaving
4) toast on fire
5) exploding liquids
6) milk gone bad
7) wet mp3 player
8) bird droppings
9) forgotten bag
10) skidding on the road
11) diesel instead of gas
12) tripping on the curb
13) chewing gum in hair
14) rain soaked clothing
15) being lost
16) bee sting
17) sticking yourself with superglue
18) electromagnetic interference from phone
19) puncture
20) leaking pens
21) mistaken identity
22) torn clothing
23) opening an e-mail virus
24) jammed finger
25) computer hard disk failure
26) broken finger
27) dropping keys down the drain
28) pulled muscle
29) sparking microwave
30) broken glass
31) stains
32) chile pepper in the eye
33) food on the floor
34) lighning kills the tv
35) burns and blisters
36) scratched cd
37) broken tooth
38) stubbed toe
39) overflowing bath

The chapters are fairly self contained, so reading out of order won't detract. A truly fun read.

[Riki H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why Sh*t Happens: The Science Of a Really Bad Day
320 Pages
Peter J. Bentley
Non-Fiction

This book is about the science of a really bad day, as it says in the title. The author goes in depth about the explanation of why bad things happen in life, and what causes them, and how to prevent it from happening in your life. Each chapter starts out with a realistic description of a bad thing happening. For instance, over toasting the bagel, slipping on soap, and many other things. Then it goes into depth about the science behind that bad day.

The title is surprising when you first see it (Which caught my attention at the public library), which is why I picked the book. I also wanted to know how a bad day happens. I thought this book was going to be on the probabilities of a bad thing happening or why they happen, but, it was more about the science about the object or the thing happening which caused the bad day. That was kind of different from what I had expected but I was okay with that. There was one chapter about computer viruses and it described how to prevent them, and it actually went into depth of the statistics of the number of viruses out there and the chances of getting them. I liked that chapter the most. The author occasionally goes way off topic. He's like my dad, when I ask my dad a question, he goes way to far in depth and explains things that I really didn't need to know. That is the bad part of this book and it kind of ruins it. I get that this book is supposed to be a scientific book but, it goes way off track of the main idea of the chapter too often.

[Ted · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have often wondered how I can dress myself most days of the year without mishap but once in a while get my socks mismatched or forget a belt. When I saw this book I hoped it would be a practical guide to screwing up less; reading through the first of 39 sections it seemed to be so, as the author helpfully explained how interactions of the sleep cycle and the environment lead us to sleep through an alarm. So I picked up the audio edition and listened when I wanted a break from fiction.

The book provides a light introduction to its various topics, but overall it does not satisfy as a science work nor as a practical guide to fewer screw-ups. The depth of the science varies widely by topic, indicating (I would guess) the author's own knowledge. At times it is just bizarre - explaining General Relativity in the topic of stumbling while walking, for example - and when he gets to the practical bit it has no relation to the preceding blather (don't hurry so much and you won't stumble). There are a few pieces of helpful information here, but not enough; the book also does not fulfill the promise of the introduction, wherein he claims that understanding the science will help us avoid common trouble. The advice instead is mostly what you would have gotten from listening to your mother.

I listened to the Brilliance Audio edition narrated by Phil Gigante. I can't give the reader high marks either, as he comes off rather smug, and there are some mispronunciations that add to the amateur feeling of the text.

[rabbitprincess · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent introduction to several different areas of science and technology using a most original teaching device: one terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day (to quote the picture book about Alexander). Each chapter is a separate incident in the bad day---for example, filling up the car with diesel instead of gasoline, being pooped on by a bird, spilling wine on the carpet---and the rest of the chapter discusses the science behind the mishap. The wine-spilling chapter, for instance, talks about the properties of dyes and exactly what makes wine stain carpets so effectively, not to mention how to get the stains out. Other chapters discuss the workings of the human body (the digestive system, teeth, bone growth), while still others examine aspects of technology (computer storage, the history of spam/viruses, how cell phones work). Throughout, the author keeps things accessible but does not talk down to the reader. He provides lots of clever side comments along the way that kept me chuckling as I learned. And if any of the fields mentioned in this book pique your interest, there's a selected bibliography at the back and a more extensive one at the author's website (provided in the book). Overall, I enjoyed the read. There were some things I already knew about, but those were described well, and I learned a whole lot more, so I would consider this a worthy read for anyone interested in general science.

[Jason Hoffmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title alone is enough to grab the attention of a passerby. It's not very often you see a book with such a unique cover. Once you start to read, all of your attention will be focused on what is next to come. The book is unlike any other I have read. It starts out with the author explaining how the book is written, and that this day that you start in the book will be the worst you have ever had (hypothetically speaking). Peter Bentley does a great job with his writing technique and the extra information that is put into the different chapters, do give you more background knowledge. When you start the first chapter you will notice that this book isn't really a story. Every chapter is like its own event that can be read individually. This is great for some readers if they are not interested in some of the topics in the book. You can skip around to whatever is most appealing to you. That is not something that you normally find in a book. Also, when you start to read any given chapter, it starts out by explaining what your bad luck is this time. Once the situation you are in is explained, Bentley goes on to tell you more about what ever product or item is the main cause of your misery. The facts are just mind blowing. I cannot give any specific examples as to not spoil the book. This book is one that everyone should get around to reading at some point in their life. I higher recommend it to anyone that questions why things happen in our daily lives.

[Lindsey Orlando · Rating 3 out of 5]

My husband and I listened to the audiobook of this book on a road trip. This book was bizarre and funny and interesting at the same time. It walks you through one of the worst everything-going-wrong days that you could imagine and explains at each step of the way how/why what just happened happened. It may seem like terrible luck that your coffee exploded in your face or your toaster caught on fire, but he goes into the science of just how it could actually happen. It's interesting information that most people would probably never have gotten around to looking up if they hadn't read this book. I think about this book every time I make a cup of hot tea or use the toaster now. :)

The only reason I give it three stars instead of four is that the day the author describes is so terrible that you find yourself cringing more and more as it goes on and yet can't stop listening, so it left me with a kind of down feeling by the end (then again, I also have a hard time watching movies like Jackass where you're watching people repeatedly get hurt or embarrassed).

[Willow Redd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy quirky science texts, which is probably why Goodreads recommended this one to me. Using a storyteller's perspective, Dr. Bentley finds a way to share some interesting science by going through the worst possible day in an average person's life.

Each chapter tells part of Average's life, then something goes horribly wrong, then we get the scientific explanation of why that thing went wrong. Topics range from slipping on the soap, to why water heated in the microwave might unexpectedly explode, to the science of a rainy day; Bentley presents some fascinating science using a conversational style that will keep anyone interested.

Also included in the back is an abridged bibliography for anyone interested in reading further. To keep the list from getting too long in the book, Bentley hosts the full list on his website. He also makes himself available to correction on any of his science in the acknowledgements, which is a nice touch.

[D.R. Oestreicher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty random, but interesting, collection of sciencey essays built around a narrative of a "really bad day." Why Sh*t Happens by Peter J Bentley includes about three dozen essays from sour milk to lightning to burns and blisters.

The book is full of interesting science and engineering. For example, even though cheese was originally made using stomach enzymes from various mammals like cows and goats, the current source of the enzyme (rennin) comes from genetically-engineered fungus. Think about that the next time your enjoy mac and cheese, or quesadilla.

I recommend this highly as a bathroom book, one that can be picked up and put down without losing continuity. Note that the author and the writing is British, and word such as American gas/gasoline appear as the British petro/petroleum.

For more see: http://1book42day.blogspot.com/2016/0...

[Wang · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has an interesting way of exploring the science of a really bad day - he basically takes you through one of the worst days possible where Murphy's Law reins supreme - everything that can possibly go wrong, goes wrong.

With each mishap, the author dives a little deeper into why things are that way. For instance, if you find glue stuck to your hair, what is glue? Why is it so sticky? And what's the best way of getting rid of it?

Another example is, after trying to microwave some pizza and it catching fire. How does a microwave work? What happens if you put metal inside it and why does it catch fire?

Overall, it's an interesting look at a bad day - when things don't seem be working, it's not because everything is going against you, there is a scientific reason behind it all.

[Jason Davenport · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Bentley transforms his reader into the subject of a disastrous series of events accompanied by an extensive array of pertinent facts and related history. He presents a wide range of interesting science topics while using his captivating story-telling skills to guide the reader through the epitome of a "really bad day" scenario. The mishaps in all thirty-nine chapters are woven together to form a tapestry with which the author uses to embed the science behind the hapless victim's experience. For the science buff well versed in introductory physics and chemistry much of this title will prove to be review material. However, regardless of the audience, Why Sh*t Happens: The Science of a Really Bad Day is sure to captivate anyone's attention with its clever, sometimes gross, and often times humorous observations about our physical world.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I expected, but still a pleasant read. The author demonstrates all the misfortunes that can happen throughout your life, squeezes them into one poor soul's day, and gives a detailed explanation on the science behind the incidents. It is not an account on why these things happen to people, but demonstrates chemical processes. For example: "Why did my damn wine glass break, and the wine stain the carpet?" Not, "why am I an idiot who just dropped their wine glass?" He then launches into an explanation of the chemical process on why wine adheres to that very lovely carpet of yours. Very neat, and very witty at times. I highly recommend reading this if you want to be entertained by another human being's misery, and the science behind that misery.

[Pat Herndon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the format of this book. It details one poor guy's very, very bad day. With each mishap this fellow encounters as he goes about his cursed day, we are given a detailed explanation of the science behind the maloccurrence . My big complaint with the book is its title. This would be a great book for young readers. It would be a great audiobook for a family car trip. However, as a librarian, I know how easily many parents are offended by curse words in books for teens. Why alienate a large potential audience simply by doing a sloppy job of selecting a title? I wanted to call it, Anatomy of a Bad Day. Since nothing in the content of the book is offensive, why go there with the title? Oh well. Just one reader's opinion.

[Madeleine Mills-Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt smarter during the period I read this book and for that reason, 5 stars. There's a lot of interesting nuggets of information on things you had no idea were interesting or had secret hidden nuggets.

My favorite nugget has to be the bird poop wars. I deep dived it after reading the chapter. If you read the book, I found it helpful to go 1-2 chapters a day. It really helps let the information sink in. :)

[Lane Wilkinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bentley's heart is in the right place (writing down-to-earth explanations of the science behind everyday events) but his execution leaves a lot to be desired. Recommended for people with little to no understanding of science. If you took science classes in high-school or college, you won't learn anything new.